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Writing a CV
The CV is often the first introduction to a candidate that a company will have so its importance cannot be over emphasized. It is the strongest and most effective self-marketing tool you have, but it is only as good as the person it describes and will not be the determining factor in getting you the job - only you can do this. There is no single perfect CV. Everyone you ask will give you a different opinion. But it is very important you believe in your CV and that it is your own. In the final analysis, you must follow your own judgment on whether your CV is effective. Viewing CVs is subjective and you will often not know what the recipient feels about it. If you are ever able to find out who the reader is going to be, e.g. through your networking efforts, then you may be able to tailor the contents of the CV to suit them. What does a CV do? * Presents your background briefly and succinctly. * Refers to your accomplishments and so identifies what you do best. * Emphasises what you think is important to you. * It should use a format and style of your own making. * It can serve as a 'calling' card as part of your job search. * As a marketing tool it represents a 'foot in the door'. Therefore it must attract and retain the reader's attention. Before you start to prepare your CV you must stand back and decide what the CV is trying to achieve for you and just who are you trying to target it at. As a marketing tool it reveals a lot about you. It may also provoke misconceptions so be careful. To show you to your full advantage it must be in as readable a format as possible. It should be objective - subjective aspects can be incorporated in the covering letter. The content must be sufficient to evoke interest by prompting the reader to invite you for interview. This is the aim of the document. Important Points to Remember in CV Preparation * It must be clear, neat and give an impression of quality. * It must be concise. * It should be a standalone document, so provide your personal details and contact numbers. * Keep it factual, do not describe subjective material about yourself. * Try to keep it neutral and avoid 'he', 'she', 'the writer' etc. * Leave plenty of white space around each item and avoid large blocks of text. * Use headings to aid the reader find relevant information. * Use bullets points where appropriate to focus the reader's attention. * When printing use quality paper - do not put it in a fancy folder or use coloured paper. * Always remember the reader - put yourself in their place and try to include information that you think they will want to know (not necessarily what you would wish to tell them). CVs for Different Purposes 1. CV for Job Application In response to a specific opportunity, e.g. graduate recruitment. Ensure your CV includes all the requirements listed in the recruitment advertisement. Each CV must address the requirements of the specific opportunity so you may have to modify your document many times. 2. Speculative CV to a Recruitment Consultant You will need to present information on a broad basis so that you can be considered for a variety of assignments that the consultant is handling. 3. Speculative CV to an Employer Modify each CV according to your earlier research. e.g. if you have discovered through your contacts that a bank has opportunities in equity research then your CV and covering letter must emphasize aspects of your background that are likely to be of interest to the Head of Equity Research. From these notes you should by now have realised that you may in practice have to prepare several different CVs that can be used in different situations. Recommendations You should include in your CV: * personal details at the beginning, including name, home address, term time address, telephone number, email address, date of birth * your nationality and whether you have EU resident status * education and qualifications * career/work experience, in reverse chronological order * languages * IT skills * other achievements and interests (non-academic) You should avoid: * photos, unless one has been requested * full details of every course you have attended * copies of references * copies of qualifications * unclear qualifications (it might imply you are hiding something) Compiling the CV Several drafts will probably be necessary before you are satisfied . Do not use jargon or abbreviations - do not assume the reader will understand them. Try not to be purely descriptive when talking about your outside interests or work experience - Be 'achievement orientated' and always try to quantify what you have done. Use action words and try to sound successful. E.g. don't say 'experience in mergers & acquisitions', say 'gained experience as member of a team that successfully completed two cross-border acquisitions valued at Jod 2,9 million'. Ask yourself if you 'developed, designed, controlled, managed, accomplished, achieved, advised, arranged, collaborated, increased, decreased, improved, inspired, instructed, planned, prevented, saved, resolved, streamlined, won, satisfied, succeeded, etc' Ensure that you explain any chronological 'gaps' in your education or work experience. Many students have little work experience. The best way of making up the shortfall is by describing non-academic interests and achievements in the CV. It is not necessary to describe everything you have ever been involved in - you should try to select a few interests and activities that present you in a positive light. These might include membership of clubs or societies where you held a position of responsibility, service in the community or helping the disadvantaged, activities involving personal development and demonstrating personal endeavour (such as outward bound activities, living and working abroad) or involvement in sport at a fairly high level. Musicianship, involvement in the theatre and arts are other possibilities. Again, always try to be 'achievement orientated'. A Final Word You will find one of the several possible frameworks for CVs below. This is only for guidance purposes and you do not have to copy it! However, it may help put some of the above notes in context. Your CV will be a dynamic document which is only one part of the process of getting a job. Always remember that the CV is only the means to an end, i.e. an interview. You must be prepared to change your CV as your job search progresses, based on other people's advice and comments. Here is just one example of a possible CV. ADAM THOMAS A confident, self motivated Master's student with strong technical, analytical and interpersonal skills seeking a career opportunity in equity derivatives trading Permanent Address: Telephone: Date of Birth: email: Nationality: Education & Qualifications 1996-1997 ISMA Centre, University of Reading MSc in ... Courses included: ... 1993-1996 University of Liverpool BSc in ...(Upper Second Class) 1988-1993 Free School, Liverpool A levels in Chemistry (A) and Physics (B) Work Experience July-Aug 1996 Bigland Bank, Brighton Business Centre Customer Service Officer; member of team responsible for handling enquiries from corporate customers. Successfully handled a varied caseload including day to day operation of the accounts of enterprises ranging from sole traders to local subsidiaries of national corporations. Helped my team record a 10% improvement on targeted monthly client transaction enquiries. July-Aug 1995 Toytown Bank, Holdsworth Accounts Assistant dealing with reconciliation of branch retail customers. Helped introduce a new referencing system to improve the processing of inward customer payments. Other Skills * Fluent English and German * IT skills include Word, Excel, ... Achievements & Interests * Treasurer of University hill climbing association: Organised regional fund raising campaign for the association last year raising L1,500 for charities. * Active member of ISMA Debating Society; arranged a programme of guest speakers for the 1997 session including representatives from influential City investment banks and finance sector professionals. * Generally, only go to two pages if you wish to use material that you believe you have to include. In any case, you must ensure that your first page is interesting enough to make the reader want to continue reading. * If you have around two or more years good work experience you may have to use two pages, to avoid trying to compress useful material on to one page, which will then appear unattractive to the eye.